Electric drive vehicles utilize a combination of electric motors and gear sets to drive vehicle wheels. An electric motor and associated gear drive must provide a power dense package, i.e. a high gear reduction, which can fit within a limited space to drive a vehicle wheel. The required gear reduction is typically achieved by using multiple gear sets.
One disadvantage with using multiple gear sets is that significant areas of axial and radial packaging space are consumed by the gear sets to the expense of other wheel end components. For example, an electric motor and gear box configuration oriented at a right angle relative to the wheel shaft can adversely affect packaging of brake and suspension components.
Thus, there is a need for an electric powertrain configuration that provides both a radially and axially compact design, and which also provides a high gear reduction.